EP-A-268498 describes a water-absorbent water-insoluble polymeric fibre, film, coating, bonding layer or foam, made by forming a substantially linear polymer of water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer blends comprising carboxylic and hydroxylic monomers and then reacting the carboxylic and hydroxylic monomers in the linear polymer to form internal crosslinks within the polymer.
EP-A-269393 describes a water-absorbent, water-insoluble crosslinked polymer fibre or film made by dry extrusion of a solution of a substantially linear polymer formed from a water-soluble blend of monoethylenically unsaturated monomers comprising a plasticising monomer and evaporating the solvent. The fibre or film is further plasticised, stretched and then crosslinked.
EP-A-342919 describes film or fibre made by extrusion and stretching from a polymer of water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomers that include ionic monomer. A counterionic lubricant compound is absorbed into the surface of the fibre or film before or during the stretching.
EP-A-397410 describes a water-soluble linear polymer of carboxylic acid monomers such as acrylic acid and a hydroxylic monomer which can be crosslinked, after being shaped by extrusion of an aqueous solution of the polymer as fibres or films, to form crosslinks between the carboxyl and hydroxyl groups.
GB-A-2082614 describes a dry, solid, water-swellable absorbent comprising a blend of a water-insoluble absorbent polymer, which may be a covalently crosslinked or ionically complexed anionic polyelectrolyte, and an extender material selected from uncrosslinked derivatives, starch, montmorillonite clay, attapulgite clay, seracite, talc, kaolin, silica and mixtures thereof. It states that the blend may be used as a film, aerated film, powder or fibre, but there is no disclosure as to how a blend of water-insoluble polymer and extender can be made into a fibre.